Durgambal Procession

Saturday 29th November marked the beginning of the 2008 Deepam Festival with the procession of Durgambal seated on Kamadhenu (the wish fulfilling cow) being taken on a clockwise procession from Durga Amman Temple around the perimeter streets of the 26 acre Arunachaleswarar Temple and thereafter returning back to her own Temple. The first photograph is of the statue at the Durga Temple before being placed on the Kamadhenu.

Below a close-up of the Goddess.

This year large screens have been installed around Arunachaleswarar Temple, and one giant screen inside, so that later days of the Festival can be seen by the greatest number of devotees. The procession through the town plays a very important role in maintaining a living relationship with the ordinary folk going about their business throughout the day, who sometimes may not have sufficient opportunities to attend functions inside the Temple itself. As is always the case in such functions, the procession stops whenever people along the route make offerings.

In the above photograph the Goddess is seated on Kamadhenu (the cow) at one of the Gopurams (entrances) of the Big Temple (Arunachaleswarar). Decorations are already up at the Big Temple and like last year I hope to post a photograph from Arunachala Hill looking downwards to the Temple, to show the beautiful brightly-lit Arunachaleswarar Koil.

Deepam 2008 Photographs

For last year's Deepam I posted many excellent photographs covering various functions during the Festival. This year I will be doing the same and in this respect am working with a photographer who will be supplying me with unique photographs of each function. The below is of the Maha Radham (Big Car) in 2007 circumbulating Arunachaleswarar Temple -- it was taken by the same photographer that I am using this year. You can view the full size photograph by clicking on it.

Maha Radham-- 2007 Deepam Festival
click to enlarge

There will be some Deepam photographs posted on Arunachala Grace, however this year I am offering readers the opportunity to acquire a full pictorial history of the Deepam Festival 2008. In this respect there will be well over two hundred photographs (same size as 'enlarged' photo sample above) of the Festival. As the photographer is professionally accredited, he is able to take photographs in areas of Arunachaleswarar Temple etc., which generally restricts the taking of photographs, he is also able to get exceptional access to cover the actual lighting of the Hill Deepam.

If you wish to receive a DVD pictorial history of the 2008 Arunachala Deepam, please get in touch at the contact link situated top left of Arunachala Grace. A donation is required in order to cover costs and expenses. There is a PayPal facility located at the left column of this page. In the case of International readers please add an additional U.S.$10 to your donation to bear the cost of registered, airmail.

Deepam Programme 2008

Today is the first day of the Deepam Festival as celebrated at Tiruvannamalai. The sequence of the Festival is explained below. The lighting of the flame on top of Arunachala actually takes place on the 10th day of Deepam and stays alight for between 8-10 days.

Of these the first day is connected with the Durga Amman Temple. Each day denotes different functions and ceremonies at either the Durga Temple, the Annamalai Temple or in the streets surrounding them.

Deepam is a festival which traditionally is connected with the Hill and Arunachaleswarar Temple. In this connection Durga Amman Koil (Koil = Temple), is the only other Arunachala Temple that actually participates in the functions.

The reason for this is supposed to be because of the Goddess and the demon Mahisha (see ‘The Fight with Mahishasura’). Before her battle the Goddess appointed four noble Bhairavis (celestial damsels) to keep watch on all four sides of Arunagiri. She ordered:

"Admit only those who have come to worship Arunachala and are tired, hungry and thirsty. Others should not enter. She then appointed strong men to guard the boundaries of Arunachala and continued Her penace at Her ashram." [The Glory of Arunachala]

For this reason, the first day of Deepam Festival is always a celebration of the Goddess, recognised as a Guardian of Arunachala.

Festival Days 2008:

29th November, Saturday -- Durgambal festival:

During the night of this festival Durga Amman idol is taken in procession in Vimana.

30th November, Sunday -- Pidari festival:

In which the Goddess Pidari is brought in procession on a statue of a Lion.

1st December, Monday -- Anukjai Vignesvara Puja:

The elephant God Vinayka is taken out in the streets on a silver mount.

2nd December, Tuesday -- (First Day) Annamalai Temple:

Procession of five Deities in the morning and five Deities in the evening.

3rd December, Wednesday -- (Second Day) Annamalai Temple:

Morning procession of Chandrasekar (Lord Siva) and Vinayaka. Evening five Deities.

4th December, Thursday -- (Third Day)

Morning Vinayaka, Chandrasekar, Vimana, Buta Vehicles. Evening the five Deities, Lion Vehicle, Silver Swan Vehicle.

5th December, Friday -- (Fourth Day)

Morning Vinayaka, Chandrasekar, Vinayaka Snake Vehicle. Evening, five Deities. Silver Kalpataru (wish fulfilling tree), Silver Kamadhenu (wish fulfilling cow) procession.

6th December, Saturday -- (Fifth Day)

Morning Vinayaka, Chandrasekar, Mooshikam, Mirrored Bull Vehicle. Evening five Deities. Silver Mooshikam, Silver peacock. Big Silver Bull Vehicles procession.

7th December, Sunday -- (Sixth Day)

Morning Vinayaka, Chandrasekar, Mooshikam, Silver Elephant, 63 Nayanamars Vimanam. Evening five Deities, Silver Car, Indra Vimanam and other silver vehicles procession.

8th December, Monday -- (Seventh Day)

Morning the five Deities juggernaut. Dragging the rope of the car in Vrichika Lagna. Evening the five Deities returning from juggernaut.

9th December, Tuesday -- (Eighth Day)

Morning Vinayaka, Chandrasekar Silver Vimanam. Evening at 4 p.m. Bhiksandar festival on golden Meru (Sri Chakra). At night the five Deities. Horse vehicle procession.

10th December, Wednesday -- (Ninth Day)

Morning Vinayaka, Chandrasekar Mirror Vimanam. Evening the five Deities. Kailasa Vehicle, Kamadhenu Vehicle procession.

11th December, Thursday -- (Tenth Day)

Morning Barani Deepam. At noon sacred bath in Brahma Tirtham. At 6 p.m. the five Deities proceed in golden Vimanam. Great Deepam Darsan lit on top of Arunachala; the flame will be alight for between 8-10 days. That night at the Temple, the five Deities proceed on golden Bull Vehicles.

12th December, Friday -- (Eleventh Day)

Night at 7 p.m. float for Chandrasekar. Annamalaiyar going round the Hill.

13th December, Saturday -- (Twelfth Day)

At 7 p.m. at night for Parasakti Amman.

14th December, Sunday -- (Thirteenth Day)

At 7 p.m. night float for Subramanian (Lord Murgan).

15th December, Monday -- (Fourteenth Day)

Chandikesvarar festival procession on Silver Bull Vehicle.

2008 Karthigai Deepam – South India

Karthigai Deeepam, or Karthika Deepam, is the festival of lights in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, it is observed on the full moon day in the month of Karthigai (November-December). In Kerala, the festival is known as Trikartika or Kartika Vilaku and is held in the month of Vrichikam (November – December).

This year December 11th is the day for the lighting of traditional oil lamps at dusk (approximately 6.05 p.m.). Karthigai Deeepam is also known as Bharani Deepam and Vishnu Deepam in Tamil Nadu and is an auspicious day for both Shaivites and Vaishanvites. Click here to read more

The Festival of Light -- Arunachala

“Deepam is a Hindu religious festival which merges myth and sacred time with the ordinary temporal flow since the distinction between myth and reality’ does not exist in India where even the passage of time is illusory.

The sacred mountain Arunachala was worshipped long before the Vedic culture penetrated into the southern Indian peninsular millennia ago. In the south Lord Siva became the notion of significance and Arunachala became the embodiment of Lord Siva. Kailash Mountain of Tibet is his abode where he meditates, but Arunachala Mountain is Siva Himself.

It was in comparatively recent history that the Vedic Divine personalities evolved on the subcontinent; they up-staged the primeval pantheon of elemental divinities worshipped since time before mind: Fire, Water, Space, Air, Earth. Sacred places associated with these most ancient divinities lie in the South. Arunachala is The Fire Place.




However it is not Fire that is of primary significance but Light: an invisible column of light signifying the Enlightenment that those embodied in human form have the capacity to realize. Realisation confers freedom from the bondage of identity with form, both physical and mental. The light of the Deepam flame reminds us of this. Deepam means Light.

The original myth is that aeons ago the gods Brahma and Vishnu challenged one another, each claimed to be able to reach the end of the universe. Lord Brahma (the Creator) headed up in the form of a swan, and Lord Vishnu (the Preserver) headed down as a Boar. Neither was successful in their task. Lord Siva (the Destroyer of Ignorance) pronounced the justice of this situation: that no embodied being has precedence over any other; that only what is prior to consciousness is real. What is real is quality-less. It is eternal, unequivocal throughout all dimensions of all worlds. Lord Siva showed himself as this eternal principal in the form of an endless column of Light invisible to mortal eyes. He named it Arunachala. This was given visible form as a Mountain, an icon for what is beyond form, fondly referred to by locals as ‘the Holy Hillock’.”

[Apeetha Arunagiri]

Chatting Macaques

Reading an online International Newspaper, I found this light-hearted, amusing article about the macaque monkey. The macaques constitute a genus of Old World monkeys, of which there are twenty-two macaque species currently recognised, of which our own Bonnet Macaque, found extensively throughout this area, is one.

The article reads thus:

‘Why females love a good gossip ... even if they're macaque monkeys.’

“Female macaque monkeys love a good gossip as much as their chatty human counterparts, research has shown.

Scientists spent three months listening to a mixed group of macaques living on Cayo Santiago island off Puerto Rico. They discovered that, just as with humans, the female of the species was more talkative than the male.

The experts counted the grunts, coos and 'girneys' - friendly chit-chat between two individuals - while ignoring calls specifically used when in the presence of food or a predator. Female macaques were found to make 13 times as many friendly noises as males. They were also much more likely to chat to other females than males.

The scientists believe this is because female macaques form solid, long-lasting bonds. They stay in the same group for life, and rely on their female friends to help them look after offspring. In contrast males, who rove between groups throughout their life, chatted to both sexes equally.

Researcher Nathalie Greeno, from the University of Roehampton in London, told New Scientist magazine: 'The results suggest that females rely on vocal communication more than males due to their need to maintain the larger networks.' This is said to be the first time communication sex differences have been identified in non-human primates.

Primate expert Professor Klaus Zuberbuhler, from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, agreed that the findings had a bearing on language development. In all social species, communication helped individuals 'navigate their daily social lives, usually by influencing the minds and behaviour of group members,' he said. He added that communication helped resolve tension between the opposite forces of competition and cooperation.”

New Vodpod and Photographs

I have updated the display photographs at the left column of Arunachala Grace with new photographs related to upcoming Deepam – as the mood is definitely gearing up in town. Most of those photographs are in fact from last year's Deepam. I have also posted a new VodPod at the bottom left column of this page with the following videos:


Spirit – Born Free
Beautiful, inspirational song composed for the movie Born Free (1966) about a real-life couple who raised an orphaned lion cub to adulthood, and released her into the wilds of Kenya. The video is of a later animated movie about a horse born free in the Cimarron.

Our Place in the Universe
The incomparable Carl Sagan says it best when he says – “The Universe is not supposed to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.” A video describing the awesome immensity of space.

A Previous Deepam
A beautiful, well-shot inspirational video of a previous Deepam celebrated several years ago.

Lingashtakam by S.P.B
Devotional chant sung for Lord Shiva (in linga form) by S.P. Balasubramaniam. Two versions on this video, first -- Tamil version and the second is in Sanskrit.

Sparsa Hotel, Tiruvannmalai
Musical montage of Tiruvannamalai's new 3-star eco-sensitive luxury Hotel

Lingashtakam

Below are posted the Sanskrit lyrics with English translation for the Lingashtakam. The video is posted at the VodPod which is located at the bottom left column of Arunachala Grace. The video has two versions of the Ashtakam, the first being in Tamil and the second is in Sanksrit:-


Brahma Murari Sura architha Lingam,
Nirmala bashitha Shobitha Lingam,
Janmaja dukha vinasaka lingam.
That pranamami sada shiva lingam.

I bow before that Lingam, which is the eternal Shiva,
Which is worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu and other Devas,
Which is pure and resplendent,
And which destroys sorrows of birth.

Deva Murari pravarchitha Lingam,
Kama dahana Karunakara lingam,
Ravana darpa vinashana lingam,
That pranamami sad shiva lingam.

I bow before that Lingam, which is the eternal Shiva,
Which is worshipped by great sages and devas,
Which destroyed the god of love,
Which showers mercy,
And which destroyed the pride of Ravana.

Sarva sukandhi sulepitha lingam,
Budhi vivarthana karana lingam,
Siddha surasura vandhitha lingam,
That pranamami sada shiva lingam.

I bow before that Lingam, which is the eternal Shiva,
Which is anointed by perfumes,
Which leads to growth of wisdom,
And which is worshipped by sages, devas and asuras.

Kanaka mahamani bhooshitha lingam,.
Panipathi veshtitha shobitha lingam,
Daksha suyagna vinasana lingam,
That pranamami sada shiva lingam.

I bow before that Lingam, which is the eternal Shiva,
Which is ornamented by gold and great jewels,
Which shines with the snake being with it,
And which destroyed the Yagna of Daksha.

Kunkuma chandana lepitha lingam,
Pankaja hara sushobitha lingam,
Sanchitha papa vinasana lingam,
That pranamami sada shiva lingam.

I bow before that Lingam, which is the eternal Shiva,
Which is adorned by sandal paste and saffron,
Which wears the garland of lotus flowers,
And which can destroy accumulated sins.

Deva Ganarchitha sevitha lingam,
Bhavair bakthi pravesa lingam,
Dinakara koti prabhakara lingam,
That pranamami sada shiva lingam.

I bow before that Lingam, which is the eternal Shiva,
Which is served by gods and other beings,
Which is the doorway for devotion and good thought,
And which shines like billions of Suns.

Ashta dalopari veshtitha lingam,
Sarva samudbhava karana lingam,
Ashta daridra vinasana lingam,
That pranamami sada shiva lingam.

I bow before that Lingam, which is the eternal Shiva,
Which is surrounded by eight petals,
Which is the prime reason of all riches,
And which destroys eight types of poverty.

Suraguru sura vara poojitha Lingam,
Sura vana pushpa sadarchitha lingam,
Parathparam paramathmaka lingam,
That pranamai sada shiva lingam.

I bow before that Lingam, which is the eternal Shiva,
Which is worshipped by the teacher of gods,
Which is worshipped by the best of gods,
Which is always worshipped by the flowers,
From the garden of Gods,
Which is the eternal abode,
And which is the ultimate truth.

Lingashtakam, Idam Punyam padeth Shiva Sannidhow,
Shivalokam avapnothi shive na sahamodathe.

Any one who chants the holy octet of the Lingam,
In the holy presence of Lord Shiva,
Would in the end reach the world of Shiva,
And keep him company.

The Cult of the Hill

“Of the outer symbol of Sri Arunachala on earth, Lord Siva says, “Meditate on the fact that in the heart of the Hill surges the spiritual glory, within which the whole world is contained.” It is in fact this holy Hill — the Mount Kailas of the south and the very embodiment of Siva.

In his article called ‘Physical Supports of Grace’, Arthur Osborne says that the Hill called Arunachala is verily the greatest of physical supports.Yet for those who are unable to live within sight of the earthly Arunachala, there need be no regrets, for the Hill itself is but a thought-construction same as any other. If we would grasp the inner significance veiled by the ‘dull’, outer form of its simple contours, we must search within the heart, and establish contact with that regionless bliss, void of all conceptions which the mind is capable of formulating. For Arunachala is the symbol of the void nature of the Self manifesting in so simple a shape as the ‘Hill of the Holy Beacon’.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said, “Is Kali, my divine mother, of a black complexion? She appears black because she is viewed from a distance, but when intimately known she is no longer so. The sky appears blue at a distance but look at it close by and you will find that it has no colour. The water of the ocean looks blue at a distance, but when you go near and take it in your hand, you find that it is colourless.”

And so it is with the ‘Hill of the Holy Beacon’; go near to it in spirit and it is without shape, without colour, without attributes of any kind. It is only distance which lends it the illusory qualities it seems to possess. Really, we impress the void — It essentially is with the attributes we seem ourselves to possess and then we imagine seeing what is not truly there. Thus it is our attributes we have to slough if we would come close to the sacred symbol and know its real significance, and our everyday life can help us insofar as we regard all things that occur to us in a new light. For instance, instead of viewing circumstances and conditions as isolated phenomena occurring to us for no reason at all, we should strive to regard each event as a stone upon the slopes of Arunachala; each trivial repetition of which event constitutes at last that sacred ‘mount of the spirit’ which is our true nature.

For when Arunachala has been truly built into the fabric of our hearts, we shall need to view each separate part no longer as a separate stone of the divine edifice, but as the structure entire in its sublimely simple shape of the ‘holy Hill’. And then, entering into the heart thereof with understanding, we shall know the whole as the embodiment of that spirit of grace and compassion which eternally enlightens our hearts. In this way it is possible for the less advanced of us to perform a spiritual discipline while living in the world even though far removed from the outer symbol of divine grace in Tiruvannamalai.

It is only when we realise that it is we who clothe the formless Arunachala with form, because we view it with the eyes of the body, that we shall begin to search within our hearts for the formless Reality which that form veils. It is the guru in hill form who is an everlasting beacon of hope for those who inhabit the earth (or body). As soon as the body is dissolved into a shining mist, so also does the guru’s Hill form dissolve, and we are no longer deluded by other concepts such as our own form or the Hill form — for these twain are no more. The underlying Reality shines forth as the pure and perfect void, conceptless and ever blissful.

As an aid to the realisation of this, it may help the devotee — if he be remote from the physical sight of the Hill — to create a mental picture thereof and endeavour through such a mandala to pervade the Hill and become one with it. Certain physical supports, such as a mound of actual stones taken from the Hill itself, may further the project and intensify the concentration, and also link the devotee in some subtle manner with the focus of spiritual peace abiding in Tiruvannamalai.

Yet all this is of no avail if it be not always borne in mind that these accessories are but props for exalting the consciousness to the pitch necessary for contacting the subtle emanations of grace, which spring from the spaceless Arunachala Siva, whose eternal abode is the Heart. For, all takes place in, and is supported by, the void, of which the Hill itself is the perfect and singular symbol.”

[By Kenneth Grant (born 1924) a British occultist and head of the magical order “Ordo Templi Orientis”]

Its getting Bright!

When you are used to seeing something, one often stops wondering and processing, and just accepts. In this connection I’ve been so used to seeing new homes being painted in garish, striking colours, that I stopped asking myself, “Why?”

Up to about five years ago, most homes throughout India were painted in a cement-based paint with added colour dye – the paint was available in; white, sandal, blue and pink – and for that reason everywhere you went houses were generally painted in one of these colours. As the cement-based paint is cheap and of low quality, it has a short life which is further shortened as a result of intense sun and heavy rain – two main components of Indian weather.

On seeing the new brightly painted homes, I assumed it to be a middle-class response to improved finances and being able to buy ‘proper’ paint instead of having to rely on cheap, cement-based paint.

However, I had a ‘eureka’ moment in town today while at the newly refurbished Deepam Hotel on Car Street. While at the Hotel for a midday snack I chanced upon the below article in an old issue of the Chennai Chronicle newspaper which was in the restaurant.

"Vastu Colours paint city homes"

'The latest fad in the city is Vastu exteriors which applies the principles of Vastu even to the colours in which one’s house is painted. Several residential apartments and individual houses are now painted in bright colours like yellow, red, purple and pink.

Speaking about the craze for these colours, S. Rajagopalam, a businessman who is getting the exteriors of his house painted with bright red and purple colours says, “A few neighbours and friends of mine have opted for these fluorescent colours to paint our exteriors. We did this on the recommendation of our family astrologer, who is also a Vastu expert. According to him, these colours would bring good luck and prosperity. Apart from that, these colours stand out from the rest and are comparatively long lasting as well.”

Kalyana Sundaram, a Vastu expert and astrologer says, “These are lucky colours associated with each zodiac sign which is considered auspicious for those falling under these signs. For instance, for Aries, it’s coral red, for Taurus, pure white and so on. In fact, several paint manufacturers are cashing in on this trend by introducing fluorescent paints of every kind.”

Ramani Manoharan, a local interior designer says, “When it comes to painting one’s house, the Indian school of thought follows the lead of bright fluorescent colours whereas as the westernized aesthetics are more in favour of softer, subtle shades. However, I feel that more Indians are now going the vibrant desi way and Chennai seems to be already stepping up in that direction.”

However, Vastu expert GVS Raghavan has a different opinion. “Although, there are lucky colours for all zodiac signs, one cannot expect to usher in good fortune overnight. Colours have only a minimal effect on one’s destiny.”

M. Krishnan, a dealer in paints says, “The fluorescent paints are of acrylic nature and are the latest entrants in the market. Although they cost five times as much as normal paints, they are more durable. But customers feel that the price is worth it due to the significance of Vastu.”’
[By Shankaran Malini]

Inspired by the above article, I did some research and below post information and link. The photographs throughout this posting are of local Tiruvannamalai homes situated at the back of Yogi Ramsuratkumar ashram. Such new, brightly-painted houses are to be found throughout Tiruvannamalai.

Vastu Principles

One of the principles of Vastu is that if you conform to your rashi (constellation/zodiac sign) in decorating and/or painting your home; it will bring the owner good luck and happiness.

The reason many Vastu houses are multi-coloured is the result of following the advice of experts who suggest colours for each of the walls of the building. The advice is based on the planets that governs the direction that each wall is facing.

Colours are divided into three categories:

Primary colour: Three basic hues; red, blue and yellow which are the foundation of the colour wheel of which all other colours are derived.

Secondary colour: When two primary colours are mixed, they form a secondary color . Such colours are; orange, green and violet.

Tertiary colour: When two secondary colours are mixed, they form a tertiary colour. For example; citron, olive, russet.

To view more in-depth explanation about the relevance of colours in Vastu and to view a Colour Wheel explaining the relationship of colours please visit this link.

1,000

This is the 1,000th post on Arunachala Grace Blog since it started in May, 2006. The BLOG ARCHIVE RESOURCE is at the left column of this page and filled with lots of interesting information and photographs about the extraordinary, amazing Arunachala.

As well as Arunachala Grace Blog, there is also the monthly newsletter -- Arunachala Grace News -- sent direct to the email inbox of (free) subscribers, the additional Blogs -- Arunachala Land, Arunachala Birds and the website Arunachala Samudram. Depending on the support of interested readers, I hope to extensively develop the website Arunachala Samudram in 2009 to include even more information on Arunachala, connected material, interactive features, a readers forum, videos and mp3 audios.

In the meantime thank you to all readers and to those who have made suggestions and sent information and particular thanks to those who support the development of Arunachala Grace Network through donations (PayPal is located at the left hand margin of this page).

At the top left corner of this Blog there is a 'contact' feature which I welcome readers to use. If you need help, information or suggestions about visiting Arunachala, where to visit or where to stay -- or WHATEVER, please get in touch.

Once again thanks for connecting with Arunachala through this resource and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one and all of us!

Adi Annamalai Puja

Over the last couple of weeks I have been spending time with a group of eight ladies from the U.S. showing them Temples and places of interest at Tiruvannamali. On Friday, November 21st, I accompanied three of the ladies to the beautiful Adi Annamalai Temple to participate in a Navagraha Puja, which I had arranged on their behalf -- for the purpose of 'healing and empowerment'. As photographs taken inside the Temple are prohibited, I am instead posting photographs below of the outside of this beautiful and inspiration Temple.

For an aerial view of the Temple go to the link HERE.

In the upcoming Arunachala Grace News, which will be sent out direct to subscriber's email inbox in about ten days, there will be a fascinating report by the facilitator of the visiting group of ladies from the U.S., about some of their experiences at Tiruvannamalai.

The report starts thus:

Click on all photographs to enlarge

"I was inspired to bring a small and intimate group of women to visit Arunachala for a spiritual pilgrimage in November of this year. The group (in addition to myself) consisted of seven women, who were all first-timers to India. Most of the women had a long-time deep desire to come to India for spiritual reasons, but were afraid to travel by themselves. They wished to travel with someone who had a deep connection with India and experience in making the journey." . . . the report continues in Arunachala Grace News . . .
[Virginia Lee]

As well as the upcoming posting in the Newsletter there will be more information on this Blog about the ladies and their experiences during their first visit to Tiruvannamalai.

One of the more enchanting aspects of this Temple are the nooks positioned at the top of the parapet inside the Temple Compound which are constantly utilised as nests for such birds as; rose ringed parakets, white doves, emerald doves, pigeons and also the occasional shy owl.

Watch Your Feet

Work has started getting Tiruvannamalai smart in time for Deepam. Roads are getting relaid, trash cleaned, grass verges cut back and buildings re-painted. The below roadwork is of the Bangalore Road which also forms part of the Girivalam Roadway. I stopped by and had a chat with the Engineer in charge and was surprised to learn that the road repair was being carried out by a private Company under Contract to the Municipality. Somehow I had assumed that it was Government work. It seems like India is getting more like the West everyday!

My main concern about the above roadwork is that the labourers are not wearing proper protective foot gear. The man below has some sort of cover -- however I'm not too sure how the rubber would bear up under hot tar -- perhaps melt?

And in the two photos below we are really getting into 'skimpy mode'-- Ouch! But at least the workers are wearing some sort of foot cover -- I often have seen shoeless tar workers on road repair wearing nothing but plastic bags wrapped around their feet.

I have a feeling that its going to be a BUSY Deepam. Keep checking back over the upcoming weeks as I hope to give lots of fascinating information about different aspects of Deepam and how it is celebrated at Tiruvannamalai. The first Deepam celebration is scheduled for November 29th at the Durga Amman Koil (Temple) which inaugurates a raft of functions, ceremonies, rituals and processions both at the Durga Amman Temple and then the Arunachaleswarar Temple. The lighting of the Deepam (flame) at the top of Arunachala is scheduled for dusk (around 6.05 p.m.) on December 11th. I believe the Tamil TV station, Raj TV will be providing a live broadcast of that day. I will post all information as I get it.

Fascinating Movie about India

Even though I am living in the spiritual centre of the world at Arunachala, that doesn't mean that I am not a person with ordinary interests. In this respect I love animals, gardening, nature and MOVIES (but generally not musicals). Even though lots of folk have multi-channel cable TVs in Tiruvannamalai, I have elected not to have a TV and instead watch the occasional movie DVD on my computer. But even when I don't watch them, I keep up-to-date with new movie releases. One that I am very eager to watch, when it becomes available on DVD, is a movie currently on general release in the States entitled "Slumdog Millionaire". I am below posting a fascinating review of the movie which currently appears on an International movie website.

For those who love India or are interested in learning more about this country, I believe this movie will be truly insightful.

"Slumdog Millionare" Review

“Bereft of original ideas, Hollywood has been self indulging in tiresome sequels and mining old TV shows and comic books to ensure sure takes at the box office the past several months. So what a relief it is to take in Danny Boyle's visually stunning Slumdog Millionaire. The director of Trainspotting and “28 Days Later” borrows heavily from Bollywood tradition to deliver a real crowd pleaser set in the slums of Mumbai, India. Although the film approaches the genre's schmaltzy melodrama, Boyle's dynamic camera angles and lively pacing memorably tour the Indian landscape and introduce its remarkable culture.

Having recently visited India, I found Boyle's adaptation of Vikas Swarup's bestselling “Q and A” delightfully authentic. Sixty years after independence, India remains a study in contrasts—amazing architecture thriving alongside garbage strewn streets ... extreme wealth arising from abject poverty ... unmistakable beauty adjacent to stomach turning filth. Slumdog Millionaire juxtaposes these contradictory images naturally throughout the narrative.

A deceptively simple Dicksonian story, Boyle begins as 18-year-old orphan Jamal (Dev Patel) wins the top prize in the Hindi version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire—20 million rupees (a little over U.S. $400,000). Illustrating the still existant caste system, the show host (Anil Kapoor) ceaselessly condescends to the unflappable youth as a tea server and remains incredulous that an uneducated boy from Mumbai's slums can answer the multiple choice questions. Immediately after coming within one question of winning the top prize, Jamal is arrested and tortured by the police to discover how he is cheating.

This provides the framework for a series of flashbacks to see Jamal and his older brother Salim over three significant time spans. The police inspector (veteran Indian actor Irfan Khan of “The Namesake”) plays back clips of the show and insists that Jamal explain how he knew the answer, giving the youth opportunity to go back in time to tell his life story, ranging from the fateful day his Muslim mother was killed by rioting Hindus, to the terrifying time he and his brother escape a despicable creep who wanted to mutilate him for monetary gain, to how they survive by scamming western tourists at the Taj Mahal. A life of hardships endear Jamal, and we're clearly drawn in to his story and long for him to succeed at his true life's ambition to re-connect with his love interest Latika (Freida Pinto).

The rags to riches story offers no real surprises, but Boyle delivers big time on insights into the Indian lifestyle and culture. Dazzling visual sequences akin to "City of God" follow young Jamal darting through Mumbai's colorful shantytown—striking overhead visuals panning over colorful tin roofs. More than anything, Jamal's serious steadfast character acts as metaphor for India as a whole. He is a survivor, and even if he fails to become the latest TV celebrity by answering the final question, he remains content because his greatest wish will be fulfilled regardless.

Certainly the narrative itself remains sentimental, but we don't care. Those who've grown to appreciate traditional Bollywood fare may question the lack of a choreographed song number, but fear not. Boyle delivers that as well at the close of the film with a lively sequence over the film's final credits, making Slumdog Millionaire a great cross-over film that will introduce a much larger audience to India's very real charms."

http://oldschoolreviews.com/rev_2000/slumdog_millionaire.htm

The Beautiful Langur Monkey

Yesterday (i.e. Monday afternoon) while visiting Temples on the south-east side of Arunachala kept a close look-0ut for the beautiful Tufted Grey Langur Monkey to point out to friends who I was showing around the Hill.

The Bonnet Macaque, of which I have written extensively in previous postings (see: Moral of the Monk, A Mother's Love, Love That Watermelon, and many others) is commonly found throughout Tiruvannamalai District and in fact in the view of some folk the Macaque is much too common and cheeky, particularly when it decides to go on scavenging hunts in residential areas by breaking into homes and raiding kitchens! Now that I live in an area not often visited by the naughty Macaque I can be more philosphical and good-natured about them and generally carry buns and snacks while performing Hill Girivalam in order to feed the Macaque Monkeys hanging about the sides of the Girivalam pathway. However I do have memories of certain incidents of maraudering naughty monkeys while I was living in a more urbanised part of Tiruvannamalai!

The below are photos I took yesterday of the beautiful Tufted Gray Langur Money. The colony was hanging about in trees feasting on leaves. They were playful and charming and continued with their romps as we were looking on.

On writing this posting did a bit of research on the Langur Monkey and came up with the following:

Gray Langurs are a group of Old World monkeys made up of the genus Semnopithecus which includes:

Tufted Gray Langur
Nepal Gray Langur
Kashmir Gray Langur
Tarai Gray Langur
Northern Plains Gray Langur
Black Footed Gray Langur
Southern Plains Gray Langur

It is the Tufted Gray Langur that is found inhabitating the slopes of Arunachala specially on the south east side. All of the Langur species are largely gray with a black face. In Indian mythology, this is because Hanuman, the monkey warrior, burnt his hands and face trying to rescue Lord Rama's wife.

The Langur feeds on leaves, fruit, buds and flowers. However their diet is seasonable, with mature leaves being eaten only as a fall-back food during the winter months. In the summer, especially before the monsoon season, fruit is their chief diet supplemented with insects, tree bark and gum.

Though the Langur sleeps in trees, it spends more time on the ground and lives in medium to large groups, usually with a frequently changing dominant male.

To read more about the delightful Langur Monkey you can visit this link HERE.

Arunachala’s True Shape

“From every angle Arunachala presents a different aspect. But the Sivalinga, representing the Hill, symbolises its true shape, that of the formless including all forms . . .

I approach Arunachala generally by bus from the east as I come to Tiruvannamalai from Madras. Arunachala becomes visible from about ten miles away. At first it is only a vague cloudlike shape but as I come nearer it becomes clearer. It assumes the form of an irregular cone somewhat longish at the base with a curved spur on its northern side. This shape lasts only until I come to the temple of Arunachaleswara. It changes gradually when I proceed to the Ashram and finally when I reach the Ashram it assumes a familiar beautiful shape. It reminds me of Mount Kailas as it looks in the familiar photographs of that sacred mountain. Others have also noticed this resemblance.

I have seen Arunachala not only from these two angles but also from numerous other angles too. While going round the Hill on the holy circuit it looks different from each spot. Names like the ‘five-faced Arunachala’ and the ‘four-faced Arunachala’ have been given to those aspects in which it appears to possess five peaks or four peaks. When one comes to the northern side the appearance changes completely. It becomes more rugged and massive. Arunachala has many faces and many shapes. From every angle it presents a different aspect, reminding us of the ever changing flux of creation, the motionless dance of Arunachala-Siva whose unity penetrates all diversity!

Some devotees of Siva believe that Arunachala, the Hill, is Siva himself or a huge Siva linga in the form of the Hill. The puranas elaborate this. That is why one walks round it barefoot reverently all the eight miles of the way. Siva linga is simply an emblem of Siva, in its manifest form as the Hill and the linga of fire without beginning or end, as mentioned in the well known story of its first appearance, symbolises its unmanifest transcendence. Thus Siva is rupa (with form) and arupa (without form). He has many forms and at the same time can reveal himself as formless:

“When I approach regarding Thee as having form, Thou standest as a Hill on earth. If (with the mind) the seeker looks for Thy (essential) form as formless, he is like one who travels the earth to see the (ever-present) ether. To dwell without thought upon Thy (boundless) nature is to lose one’s (separate) identity like a doll of sugar when it comes in contact with the ocean (of nectar) and when I come to realize who I am, what else is this identity of mine (but Thee), O Thou Who standest as the towering Aruna Hill?”
[By Aquarius]

Worship of Shiva Lingam

“At the Paris Congress on the History of Religions, Swami Vivekananda was an invited speaker. At this congress Vivekananda said that the worship of Shiva Linga originated from the famous hymn in the Atharva Veda Samhita sung in the praise of the 'Yupa Stambha', the sacrificial post.

In that hymn a description is found of the 'beginningless and endless 'stambha' or 'skambha' and it is shown that the said skambha is put in place of the eternal Brahman. Afterwards the Yajna (the sacred fire) and its flames gave place to the conception to the brightness of Shiva's body. Yajna's smoke was symbolized as Shiva's dark matted hair, the Soma plant used in the Yajna was symbolized as Shiva's blue throat, the ashes of the Yajna became the ashes applied to Shiva's body and the ox that used to carry on its back the wood for the Yajna, was conceptualized as the carrier or Vahana of Shiva. Just so, the Yupa Skambha, in time was symbolized as the Shiva Linga and was deified to the high Devahood of Sri Shankara. In Atharva Veda Samhita, even the sacrificial cakes are also extolled along with the attributes of the Brahman.”

[By Swami Vivekananda]

Puppies not Camels!

Today one of the local auto rickshaw drivers told me that he heard the camel driver had left Tiruvannamalai with his group of four camels. Big disappointment -- but then felt a sense of relief as I'm sure the working camels would have been in poor condition and the whole thing would have been just one big heartache. However on the subject of camels, I post below a fascinating photograph taken around 1908 of a very interesting travelling camel.

On the subject of animals glad to announce that this is puppy season in Tiruvannamalai, and there are lots of young puppies in all kinds of interesting places. Here is a brick kiln in a field (you can see the tip of Arunachala in the background) that is currently home to four very sweet young pups. I have been short cutting through the brick kiln area and am currently surrogate Mum to the little fellows - who have made a secure and fascinating home for themselves running through the chambers of the brick kiln.

Here they are hoping I have brought them milk -- and at the same time keeping a watchful interest in a couple of ladies peeping over a nearby wall checking out what was happening.

And now that they have reassured themselves that all is safe -- they are eager for their milk breakfast. There are in fact four puppies, with a shy one hiding in the back probably hoping I leave before all the milk is gone!


The very excellent local Animal Shelter has assured me that they will come and pick up the puppies and take them to their Sanctuary, where they will live until they are either old enough to fend for themselves or are adopted. Whatever happens they will be safe and well-fed and have the opportunity to put on weight, get strong and socialise with lots of other puppies. If you are visiting Tiruvannamalai and Ramana Nagar make a point of checking out the great work at the Animal Shelter which is currently home to a large number of dogs (some handicapped), Lakshmi the cow (who has had to have part of her back leg amputated but is mobile and very happy), an injured crow and a nice group of young monkeys.

Thiruvannamalai Movie Update

In Los Angeles, the movie district is known as ‘Hollywood,’ in Mumbai ‘Bollywood,’ and in Tamil Nadu the movie district (located at Chennai) is affectionately known as ‘Kollywood’.

In this respect the Kollywood drama entitled ‘Thiruvannamalai’, is eagerly awaited in these parts – especially as there are many shots of the Temple and Arunachala. The movie is currently in post production and will be ready for screening in the New Year, 2009. However due to compensation irregularities suffered after screening the Rajinikanth movie ‘Kuselan,’ the Tamil Film Exhibitors Association has announced that it will boycott all films distributed by ‘Pryamid Saimira’ which include Kavithalaya Production’s, ‘Thiruvannamalai’ and ‘Naan Kadavul’ with Arya. So unless the situation is regularised one may have to wait for sometime before being able to view the upcoming musical movie, ‘Thiruvannamalai’ in Tamil Nadu.

The below is a still from the movie to view several more shots from 'Thiruvannamalai,' go to this link HERE.

In the meantime the movie score of the movie is now complete and available online. To download Thiruvannamalai Mp3 songs (.zip format) which needs WinRAR/WinZip software for extraction, please go to this link HERE.

The songs are typical of a Kollywood musical – so probably will only be appreciated by young, musically fashionable Tamilians. There is not much in the way of spiritual inspiration in any of the songs – however they are loud and jolly. Included in the soundtrack are the following:

Adiyai - Udit Narayan, Suchithra
Emmaiyaalum - Shankar Mahadevan
Kaadai Kauthare - Senthil Dass, Renuka, Maghi
Namma Nadai - Pushpavanam Kupusami, Suchitra Raman
Siva Siva - Shankar Mahadevan

Arunachala Grace Update

Some regular readers may have been wondering at the unaccustomed lack of recent postings on this Blog -- which is due mainly to my own recent ill health. However things are much better and hope to be posting regularly from now on -- particulary as the great Deepam Festival is almost upon us.

Even though I haven't been posting I do in fact have lots of interesting information to share. The most curious being the news of a visit of a group of four camels to Tiruvannamalai who have travelled from distant Rajasthan -- definitely hope to get some nice snaps of them soon.

Also work has started on the current Arunachala Grace Newsletter -- which will have lots of information on the legends and stories surrounding Deepam -- a Festival not only celebrated in Tiruvannamalai, but all around Tamil Nadu -- albeit with different stories and mythologies explaining the relevance of the Festival.

AKSP -- 2009

Arunachala Greening -- Report by Apeetha Arunagiri

"As everyone can see, the hill is definitely greener now.

Ramana photo taken in mid 40's



Photo taken at same spot in 2006

The Arunachala Kattu Siva Plantation is a registered Trust engaged for the past six years on restoration work contributing to the ongoing task of greening the Holy Hillock. The artesian reserves surrounding Arunachala desperately need regeneration so that the children of the future have good water here; the only way is by a reforested hill.

The Managing Trustee of AKSP - Apeetha Arunagiri, initiated the now very evident greening process by forming The Arunachala Reforestation Group in the mid eighties, which later became The Annamalai Reforestation Society. Her intention in originating this smaller project (AKSP) was to confront the social aspects of ecology that require a different structure than that imposed by the structure of ARS. For this reason indigenous rural women and men are engaged from the villages close to the project site on the more protected western slopes of the hill; the thrust of the project is to enable these workers to develop a keen working consciousness of taking responsibility for restoration work in the face of our savage civic environmental problems, on behalf of their own community.

We have learned much by our experience in the past six years. Now in 2009 we are poised for a shift into higher gear:

- our workers are ready for further training out of station where they will transform their capacities and meet other persons engaged in the global struggle towards ecological health,

- many of them are now capable of taking supervisory roles and there is plenty of work to engage seasonal labourers on essential reconstruction ground work as well as plantation in season,

- land has been offered us for a second nursery on the Adianamalai side of the hill so that we can begin plantation there. This land needs to be developed now and in addition the slopes on that side need drastic water conservation strategies.

One of our Trustees - Mr. Kasiviswanathan, is an organic farming specialist who fortuitously purchased this land many years ago. We hope eventually to create a chapter of the Trust to develop a model organic farm adjacent to the nursery. When Kasiviswanathan was working as a Permaculture and Organic Farming teacher in ARS he had the opportunity to train several persons who we are hoping to engage on this work. The view of Arunachala from this site is shown to the right above.

Although the fire problem has diminished and the hill does appear greener, the area still to be planted is vast. We encourage those with the hill in their hearts to consider their capacity to contribute towards the support and development of this work into the future. We invite you to visit our website to learn more about the project operations - details of which are given here below."

Contact Details:
Project Manager: Hari Prasad in Thiruvannamalai (telephone 09362152674; General Trustees: Kannan in Thiruvannamalai (telephone 09443435830) and Kasiviswanathan in Hyderabad (09490690792)

Email: arunachalagreening@gmail.com
Website: www.hotkey.net.au/~apeetha/index.html

Road Repair

The below is a very interesting photograph of a local road tarring machine. Its a worrying thing to watch roads being tarred because most of the workers wear either no shoes at all or just wrap plastic bags around their feet! Lets hope with the wage increases for construction and road workers, some of the labourers will now decide to invest in their own safety!

click to enlarge photo

Mother Meera Meeting

In respone to queries, am now repeating information about the meeting with Mother Meera at Tiruvannamalai on the 13th November here at Tiruvannamalai. The meeting will take place at the same Hall as previously, i.e., Meenakshi Kalyana Mandapam which is located on Kamatchi Amman Koil Street near the Arunachaleswarar Temple. The time of the meeting is 6 p.m. A large crowd is expected so suggest you arrive early.

From the 16th – 18th November Mother Meera will be at Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh.